Now, that’s more like it!

After coming out of the blocks like Usain Bolt for its first three episodes, last week’s Justified was uncharacteristically dull.  It was easily the weakest episode since the first season.  After roaring out of the gate with the mystery of Drew Thompson, last week’s outing literally offered nothing about the overreaching season arc.

SPOILERS BELOW

Last night, they seemed to making up for lost time.  The Drew Thompson story was front and center. It turns out Thompson (who’s alluded the FBI for over 30 years) has mucho dirt on Detroit mob boss Theo Tonin. It’s going to be a race to see who gets to him first.  Also, this episode featured more double crosses than that awful third Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

First, the Marshall’s service was able to wrest control of the Thompson case from the FBI while Arlo was going to get out of jail in exchange for giving up Thompson’s whereabouts.  Then, Boyd pays Arlo’s lawyer to screw up Arlo’s plea deal.

Cousin Johnny is in cahoots with Winn Duffy to kill Boyd while Duffy has enlisted Boyd to locate Thompson for Tonin.  Colton has lost track of Ellen May who winds up in the care of good old Sheriff Shelby.  Sheriff Shelby wants to use Ellen May to bring down Boyd’s budding criminal empire.  

All of these hidden motives are going to have to come to a head.  

As per usual, Raylan is light years ahead of everybody and finds that Thompson has actually been hiding out for decades among the Kentucky Hill People, who are sort of like Justified’s version of hillbilly Reavers.  Patton Oswalt was back providing expert comic relief as Harlan County’s Constable Bob.

Best of all, last night marked the first time Boyd and Raylan shared the screen, and the tandem of Goggins and Olyphant didn’t disappoint.  I get that these two men are on very opposite sides of the law and, as such, wouldn’t have much chance to share social circles.  It simply wouldn’t make sense for Boyd and Raylan to be wacky sitcom neighbors.  But, holy crap do they ignite the screen when they’re together.  It was a long time coming, seeing them together, but it was certainly worth the wait.  

After a weak bump in last week’s road, Justified seems to be very much back in the fast lane.